Soil sustainability

Summary

Soil is natural resource, functioning as an integral link in the nutrient cycling of forest ecosystems. It is essential and irreplaceable. Changes in environmental conditions, together with some forestry practices threaten the ability of soils to function. Research into soil sustainability is thus essential to sustainable forest management.

Research objectives

The overall objective of the programme is to conduct research to ensure that forest practices do not compromise soil sustainability, and to investigate the effects of pollutant deposition and climate change on soil functions.

Forestry Commission policy

The Government publication ‘Sustainable Forestry - the UK Programme’ acknowledges that the soil is an important part of the forest ecosystem, and must be used ‘sustainably’. Human actions, from local-scale forest operations to international scale air pollution may compromise forest soil sustainability. Policy is to develop and implement practices to prevent soil degradation. Current guidance is given in the Forests and Soil Conservation Guidelines (1998).